Colton Cowboy Hideout

“Mitchell has been angry ever since he didn’t get the big raise he asked for at the beginning of the year,” Becky said. Her blue eyes grew wider. “And when Sheriff Watkins was interviewing him, he noticed Mitchell had some blood on his work boots. Mitchell said the blood was his own, that he cut himself on a lawn-mower blade, but I guess the sheriff didn’t believe his story. He took Mitchell right into custody.”

“There was blood in the master suite,” Linda said as if to remind everyone of the scene of the crime. “I heard there was tons of blood.”

“Not tons,” Tanner replied. “I saw it and there wasn’t a lot.” He frowned thoughtfully. “But what could Mitchell hope to gain by kidnapping or hurting Eldridge?”

“Might have just been a case of revenge,” Becky said. “People do crazy things when they’re angry, and Mitchell has been ticked off about that raise for months.”

Tanner shook his head. “I just find it hard to believe Mitchell would do something like this because he didn’t get a raise, especially when there are plenty of other people who might have a lot more to gain by Eldridge’s death.”

“It’s going to be hard to know who might gain something from Mr. Eldridge’s death,” Linda said. “You two weren’t around when Hugh Barrington showed up and told the sheriff that Mr. Eldridge left specific instructions, which he updated each year. His will is not to be opened until his death and not without a body. Mr. Barrington got all choked up about everything that’s happened. He was practically sobbing like a baby when he talked to Sheriff Watkins.”

Hugh Barrington had been Eldridge’s attorney for years and Tanner knew the two had shared a close friendship. He wasn’t surprised Hugh was upset by Eldridge’s disappearance.

Would the blood on Mitchell’s boots prove to be Eldridge’s? Or was the groundskeeper innocent and the culprit much closer to Eldridge? Would Eldridge be found someplace alive, or would his dead body turn up? Tanner certainly didn’t envy Troy Watkins’s job of solving the crime.

“Could you please pass me the potato salad?” Josie’s voice suddenly reminded Tanner of her presence beside him.

He grabbed the large bowl in front of him and moved it to where she could serve herself. “I’m sorry. This hasn’t exactly been pleasant dinner conversation for you.”

“It’s all right,” she assured him with one of her gorgeous smiles. “I understand everyone is upset about what’s happened.”

Yes, everyone was upset, but there had also been a touch of glee among the merry maids with their gossip. There was no question the arrogant Fowler and snooty Marceline weren’t favorites among the Colton staff.

Through the years there had also been a lot of speculation as to why an attractive woman like Whitney would marry a man over twenty years her senior. More than one member of the staff believed Whitney to be a gold digger who had married for money, not love.

“Surely we can find something better to talk about while we finish our meal,” he said to everyone around the table.

“And we know your favorite topic of conversation is those little dolls of yours,” Becky said with a smile. “Is Brianna still working out okay? She seemed a little unsettled earlier at lunch.”

“Actually, she quit this afternoon, but Josie has agreed to act as temporary nanny until I can hire somebody else,” Tanner replied.

“That’s nice of you,” Linda said with a speculative look at Josie.

“I’m stuck here until the sheriff tells me I can leave, so I figured I might as well help Tanner out,” Josie replied easily.

“Where are the girls now?” Linda asked.

“With Peggy. You know she’s always willing to step in when I need a little extra help.” Tanner couldn’t help but smile as he thought of the maid who was at least five years past retirement age, but still had a spring in her step and a twinkle in her eyes.

Peggy insisted she’d work for the Coltons until she died. Her husband had passed away three years ago and they’d had no children. Although officially she was still a maid, her time was mostly her own. She lived in one of the staff rooms down the hallway from Tanner and nobody required much work from her.

He relaxed a bit as the conversation remained on the twins and then shifted to the hot weather that showed no sign of breaking.

“That was interesting,” Josie said a half an hour later as the two of them walked back toward his suite.

“A healthy portion of gossip is always part of the staff meals,” he replied.

“It just makes me wonder what gossip might be swirling around about me,” she mused.

“You’ll probably never know.” Certainly he’d suspected that before his wife left him there had been plenty of rumors and speculation about him and the state of their marriage, even though he’d been oblivious to the truth.

“It doesn’t matter to me. I learned to live with gossip a long time ago,” she said.

As the daughter of a serial killer, he couldn’t even begin to guess what she must have endured growing up. The fact that she seemed so well-adjusted only spoke of an inner strength he found admirable.

He also hadn’t forgotten her sole concern after being shot had been for his safety and the welfare of his daughters. Josie Colton might have had a lot of bad breaks in her life, but she appeared to have a good heart. And she smelled like a wonderful dessert and fired more than just a little bit of lust inside him.

He paused with his hand on the doorknob to his suite. “Are you prepared for the chaos of an evening with the twins?”

“Bring it on.” Her eyes shone with a warmth he found far too inviting.

He opened the door, hoping the girls’ presence would tamp down the edge of desire that had unexpectedly welled up inside him.

“Dada-love, home!” Lily squealed from her seat in her high chair.

“Dada-love, home,” Leigh echoed from the high chair next to her sister. Both of their mouths and bibs were smeared with red sauce from the spaghetti meal they were obviously enjoying.

Peggy smiled from her chair between the twins. Strands of her gray hair had sprung loose from the bun at the nape of her neck and a bit of spaghetti sauce clung to the front of her blue-flowered dress.

“You can always be sure of a grand reception when these two see you,” she said.

Tanner smiled. “Hi, Lily-love. Hi, Leigh-love,” he said as he touched the nose of each of the girls. “We’ll see how long the good times last. I imagine when they’re teenagers they won’t always be so happy to see me.”

Peggy got up from her chair and held out an arthritic gnarled hand to Josie. “I’m Peggy Albright, and I know you’re Josie Colton and I understand you’re going to be taking care of these two sweet peas for a while.”

Josie gripped her hand and shook it. “It’s nice to meet you, Peggy. Tanner has told me wonderful things about you.”

A smile lit Peggy’s wrinkled face. “Any man who loves his babies like Tanner does is a good man in my book.” She looked at Josie. “They are sweet little girls and you should find them a real joy to be around.”

“Thanks, Peggy, and I really appreciate you seeing to the girls this evening. I know it’s past time for you to get some dinner.” He looked at Leigh and Lily and then back to the old woman. “I think I can handle things from here.”

Peggy nodded and started toward the door. “There’s leftover spaghetti in the fridge and plenty of applesauce and green beans if they want more, but they both ate like little ranch hands. I think they’re finished because they’re playing with what’s left on their plates instead of eating it.”

“Hand,” Lily said and held up a spaghetti-sauce-covered little hand.

“Spoon,” Josie said and picked up the small spoon on Lily’s tray and handed it to her. Lily laughed, turned to her sister and released a long string of babble. Leigh responded in kind and they both giggled like misbehaving schoolgirls.

Peggy laughed and shook her head, then said her goodbye and went out the door.

“So, which one do we hose off first?” Josie asked in good-natured humor.

A bubble of laughter rose to his lips. It surprised him. He rarely found laughter anymore unless it was at the antics of his daughters. “Maybe we should tag-team them. If you could wipe down Lily and I’ll get Leigh?”

A few minutes later he and Josie were armed with warm washcloths and prepared to attend to the business of cleaning up the twins. “I’ll just warn you—they hate to have their faces washed,” Tanner said.

“No, Dada-love,” Leigh said with a stern look as he approached her.

“We have to wash our faces so we can kiss Daddy,” Josie said brightly.